Photographic reproducing machine and copy holder therefor



/ 19, 1939. R. s. HOPKINS 2,184,012

' PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCING MACHINE AND COPY HOLDER THEREFOR Filed Oct. 23, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Baum INVENIOR:

D 1939- R. s. HOPKINS 2,184,012

. PHOTOGRAPHI C REPRODUCING MACHINE AND COPY HULDER THEREFOR- Filed Oct. 23, 19364 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 liryfiliqpkius INVENTOR! ATTORN Dec. 19, 1939. R. s. HOPKINS PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCING MACHINE AND COPY HOLDER THEREFOR Filed 00f. 23, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR:

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEMOGRAPHIC PRODUCING MACHINE AND COPY HOLDER THEREFOR Application October 23, 1936, Serial No. 107,250

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a photographic reproducing machine and, more particularly, to the copy holder for supporting the subject matter to be reproduced.

It is well known that subject matter to be copied may be pressed against a platen member to flatten said subject matter within the focal plane of the objective on the copying camera. It is also common practice to provide a'tendency means for urging the subject matter on the copy holder against such a platen member.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a brake means applied to the supporting assembly which is under the influence of a tendency means and for preventing movement of said supporting assembly when the platen member is raised.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a supporting assembly including a slidable carriage which may be moved to present different portions of the subject matter to the copying camera.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of-an actuating means for moving the platen member and including a linkage which assumes a straight line position against an abutment when the platen member is in operative position and when the supporting assembly is urged against said platen member by the tendency means.

Still another object of the invention is the provision in the aforementioned actuating means of a connection which permits over travel of a reciprocating member in said means to operate the shutter of the copying camera. 7

Other and further objects of the invention will be suggested to those skilled in the art by the disclosure herein.

The aforementioned objects of this invention are obtained in a photographic reproducing ma: chine which comprises a camera, a supporting assembly for the subject matter to be copied, a platen member operated by an actuating means and against which said subject matter may be pressed, and a brake means applied to said supporting assembly for overcoming the tendency means and released when the said platen member is inoperative position to permit the tendency means to move the subject matter against the platen member.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate similar elements and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a photographic reproducing machine according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said photographic reproducing machine,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the brake means and actuating means according to the invention,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the brake shoe of the brake means and the connection of the actuating means which permits over travel thereof.

Although the copy holder of the invention is to be described in connection with a photographic reproducing machine, it is obvious that such copy holder may be devoted to other uses and my invention is not confined to the use herein shown.

The photographic reproducing machine is mounted upon a base member III which has a plurality of feet II, a vertical column l2 to which is connected a guy rod 13, and a pair of supports ll. A plurality of illuminating members l5 are pivotally mounted upon cross bars l6 which are in turn connected to pipes l1 fastened to the base member In.

The supporting assembly, according to the in vention, comprises a supporting frame l8, a supporting carriage l9, plates 20 for supporting the subject matter to be copied, and operative connections between said plates 20 and the supporting carriage l9. Said supporting frame I8 may be rectangular in form and is operatively connected to the base member l0 by means of two pairs of links 21, 22 and 23, 24. The link 2| is fastened at one end to the base member III by a stud 25 and at the other end to the supporting frame l8 by a pin 26, while the link 22 is fastened at one end to the base member In by a stud 21 and at the other end to the, supporting frame l8 by a pin 28. Said studs 25 and 21 and said pins 26 and 28 are in vertical spaced relation relative to each other upon the respective base member In and supporting frame l8 so that a parallelogram linkage is provided between said base member Ill and said supporting frame l8. 7

The other side of supporting frame I8 is connected in a similar manner by the pair of links 23 and 24 to said base member II). A pair of rods 29 extend between the ends of supporting frame l8 to form a track for the supporting carriage l9 next to be described in detail.

Said supporting carriage includes a plate member 30 upon which is mounted a plurality of rollers 3| for engaging the rods 29 or tracks upon the supporting frame 18. An angle member 32 is centrally mounted upon plate member 30 and extends adjacent supporting frame it. A clamp 33 is slidably mounted upon supporting frame be fastened thereto by tightening a on said clamp 88. thumb screw 88 are also provided upon the supporting frame l8 at the other side of said angle member 88. A handle 81 is secured to plate member 88 and facilitates movement of said supporting carriage i8.

Plate members 28 are operatively connected to said supporting carriage l8 by a plurality of parallelogram linkages. Supporting fins 88 extend downwardly from the respective plates 88 and a vertical support 88 is centrally mounted upon the plate member 88. A bell crank 48 is intermediately pivoted by a pin 4| to said vertical support 88 and is pivoted at each end to the respective supporting fins 88 upon the plates 28. A second bell crank 42 is also centrally pivoted upon vertical support 88 and is pivotally connected at each end to respective supporting fins 88. Said bell cranks 48 and 42, together with their respective pivotal connections to supporting fins 88 and vertical support 88, form a pair of compensating parallelogram linkages for each of the plates 20. The subject matter to be copied, such as a book comprising covers 48 and pages 44, is placed upon the plates 88. Each of the book covers 48 is fastened to each of the plates 28 by means of clamps 48 and a plurality of springs 48 extend between the adjacent edges of the plates 28 for the purpose of supporting the back of the book.

In view of the parallelogram linkages formed by bell cranks 48 and 42, as one plate member 88 is lowered, the other plate member 28 will be raised and said plate members 28 will be moved with their surfaces always in parallel relation to each other, If both pages 44 of the book are to be copied at the same time, the clamps 88 and 88 may be moved toward each other and against the angle member 82. When secured in these positions by the respective thumb screws 84 and 88, said clamps 88 and 88 prevent any movement of the laterally slldable supporting carriage l8. However, if it is desired to copy or photograph only one page of a book at a time, then said clamps 88 and 85 are adjustably positioned so that the opposite pages of the book will be centered with respect to the copying camera when said carriage is at its extreme positions. The handle 81 facilitates this reciprocating movement of the supporting carriage I 8.

The copying camera 41 is slidably mounted upon the vertical column II by a pair of guide members 48. Said camera 41 and guide members 48 are counter-balanced through a chain 48, sprocket 58 and weight, not shown. An index member Si is provided on one of the guide members 48 and may register with graduations 82 engraved in said vertical column 12. When the camera 41 is in the desired position thumb screws 53 on each of the guide members 48 may be tightened securely to fasten the camera in the adjusted position.

The copying camera 41 is provided with an objective 54, and includes a supply film roll 88 and a take-up film roll 58. A shutter housing I! is provided within camera 41 and supports an aperture plate 58. A pressure pad 88 is resiliently urged toward aperture plate 88 by a spring member 88. The film F" extends from the supply film roll 55, around an idler roll 8|, through the film gate composed of aperture plate 58 and pressure pad 58, around a driving roll 82, and to the take-up film roll 88.

The driving roll 82 is rotated by a rack 88 slidably mounted upon one of the-guide members 48 andrecipmcatedina'mannertobelaterdescribed. Saidrack88engagesarackpinion84 which is mounted upon a shaft 88. also supporting saiddrlvingroli 88. Acrank88ismountedupon one sideoicamera4l andengagessald drivingroil 82 so that thesame may-be rotated manually and at will.

The exposure shutter 81 is mounted upon a shaft 88.journaled in a shutter housing 81 and carrying a miter gear 88. A shaft 18 is mounted within the camera 41 and carries a second miter gear H for meshing with the aforementioned miter gear 88. A trigger member 12 is mounted upon the other end of shaft I and is adapted to be actuated by a projection 18 upon a cam I4 which is mounted upon the end of shaft 88. Consequently, upon reciprocation of rack 88, the rack pinion 84 is rotated to move the film driving roll 82 and to rotate the cam 14 so that its projection I8 strikes trigger member 12 to rotate shaft 18 which in turn through miter gears 88 and H rotates the shaft 88 to move the exposure shutter and permit exposure of the film at the film gate. Said rack 88, trigger member 12 and cam l4 are enclosed within a housing 18 at the side of copying camera 41.

The platen member according to the invention is movably mounted upon the base member l8 and may comprise either a frame against which the subject matter to be copied is pressed or a glass plate against which the subject matter is pressed and flattened. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the platen member 18 comprises a pair of frame members 11 fastened to a shaft I8 which is journaled in the supports l4. Said frame members 11 may be provided with grooves to receive a glass plate I8. An arm 88 is integrally formed with one of the frame members 11, see Fig. 3.

An actuating means for said platen member 18 comprises a crank arm 8| which is rotated by a disk 82 or other suitable prime mover and which is pivotally connected to a link 88. A spindle 84, see Figure 4, is rotatablymounted in an auxiliary support 85 on base member I 8 and carries an arm 86 which is pivotally connected to the other end of link 88. Obviously, upon rotation of crank arm 8|, the spindle 84 is reciprocated. Said actuating means also includes a pair of levers 81 and 88. Lever 81 is pivotally connected at one end to arm 88 by pin 88 and at the other end to the lever 88 by a pin 88. Lever 88 has a bearing portion 8 i, see Fig. 4, which may rotate upon spindle 84 which is provided with an angular notch 82. A stud 88 is fastened to spindle 84 and is located within said angular notch 82 of the bearing portion 8i on lever 88. A coil spring 84 encircles spindle 84, has one end anchored in a bushing 88 pinned to spindle 84 and has its other end 88 bearing against a pin 81 on lever 88.

An abutment 88 is mounted in position to engage levers 81 and 88 when they reach a straight line position and for this purpose may be conveniently attached to the vertical column If. The

levers 81 and 88 are timed so that they assume such straight line position in engagement with abutment 88 when the platen member 18 is in operative posltiton or in the horizontal position of the frame member 11 illustrated in Fig. 3. When lever 88 strikes against abutment 88, it is prevented from rotating any farther. However, link 88 and arm 88 continue to move so that spindle 84 is rotated beyond the time when lever 88 strikes abutment 88. The reciprocating movement of transmitted I8 spindle 84, as previously indicated, is

rotate together.

to lever 88 by the end 90 of coil spring 94 through pin 91. The continued rotation of spindle 84 now merely moves stud 93 within the angular notch 92 without affecting the position of lever 88 which is maintained against abutment 98 by coil spring 94. This over travel of the reciprocating spindle 04 is utilized to operate the shutter 01 of the copying camera 41 and to advance the film therein in a manner now to be described.

An operating connection is provided between said reciprocating spindle 84 and said shutter 01 of the camera. Such operating connection comprises a miter gear 99 on one end of spindle 84, an operating stem I00 carrying a miter gear IOI meshing with said miter gear 99 and a pinion member I02 meshing with the other end of rack 03. Said operating stem I00 is provided with a notch (not shown) for providing a slidable connection with pinion member I02, but such that operating stem I00 and pinion member I02 always Thus, during the first portion of the cycle of the actuating means, rack 03 is moved through the operating connection formed by pinion member I02, operating stem I00 and miter gears 99 and IM to rotate film roll 02 and cam 14. The projection I3 on cam 14 is located so that it does not strike the trigger member I2 on shaft I0 until after levers 81 and 88 of the actuating means have engaged abutment 98 and until the over travel or movement of stud 93 in angular notch 92 has occurred. At this time the drive to film driving roll 02 is interrupted in a manner well known to the prior art and not material to the present invention so that it is not illustrated herein. Since trigger member I2 is not operated until the last part of the cycle of the actuating means, the shutter member 61 is not actuated to expose the film at the film gate until the last part of the operating cycle.

A tendency means is connected to the supporting frame I8 and for the purpose of urging the subject matter to be copied against the platen member. It is evident that in copying a book, for instance, the thickness of the subject matter between the supporting assembly and the platen member may vary and, therefore, it is essential to provide some means for always tending to move the upper surface of the subject matter against the platen. Such a tendency means may comprise spring members I03 connected at one end to base member I0 by pins I04 and connected at the other end to one of the links between the base member I0 and supporting frame I8, such as link 2| of the present disclosure.

Since such a tendency means constantly urges the supporting assembly upwardly, it is obviousthat some restraint must be placed upon the supporting assembly when the platen member is raised or moved to in-operative position. For

the purpose of restraining such a tendency means,

a brake means may be supplied for engaging the supporting assembly and preventing movement thereof by the tendency means. However, this brake means must be released intermittently or in timed relation to the platen member so that the tendency means can move the supporting assembly when the platen member is in operative position.

Such a brake means may include a bell crank I05and a brake shoe I00. The bell crank I05 is intermediately pivoted to vertical column I2 by pin I01, has an angular projection I08 on one end over the plate member 30 of supporting carriage I9 and is held against said plate member 30 by a coil spring I09. The brake shoe I00 is of armate formation, is pivoted at one end to the auxiliary support 85 by means of a pin H0 and has a nose III formed at the other end thereof. Said brake shoe I00 is normally maintained in engaging position by any suitable resilient means such as a bolt II2 threaded into a lug II4 upon auxiliary support 85, and encircled by a coil spring II5 which bears upon one edge of said brake shoe I00. The brake shoe I00 is provided in one edge with a, slot IIO which is inwardly tapered to receive the tapered end ill of a bell crank I05.

The release of said brake means is accomplished in timed relation to the operating cycle of the actuating means and may be performed by a single tooth cam II8 which is fastened to the end of spindle 84 adjacent auxiliary support 85. Said cam I I8 is so positioned upon spindle 84 that brake shoe I00 is not disengaged from bell crank I05 until after levers 81 and 88 have assumed a straight line position against abutment 98 or until the platen member I0 has been moved to its horizontal operative position. Since the brake means is not released until after the platen member is in position for engagement by the subject matter upon the supporting assembly, there is no danger of the tendency means which operates the suporting assemly from continuing to move the supporting assembly after the platen member is raised.

The operation of the apparatus according to the present invention will be as follows. In the initial position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the platen member is raised and the supporting assembly is being held by the brake means against movement under the influence of the tendency means. The cycle of operations is initiated by movement of the prime mover or disk 82 to cause reciprocation of spindle 84 and lever 88 through the coil spring 94. Movement of lever 88 causes lever 81 to operate arm 80 and bring the platen member I0 into operative position with its frame member I1 and glass plate I9. in horizontal position. As the platen member I0 attains this op erative position, the levers 81 and 88 are in engagement with abutment 98 and are in straight line position. At this time, the single toothed cam. II8 of the actuating means releases the brake shoe I00 so that bell crank I05 is disengaged and the tendency means consisting of spring members I03 may raise the supporting assembly so that the pages of the book are firmly pressed against the glass plate I8 of platen member I0. In this connection it is pointed out that the parallelogram linkages formed by links 2I, 22 and 23, 24 insure that the upper surface of the supporting assembly and the subject matter thereon will be maintained in parallel relation. Continuing the cycle of the actuating means, the spindle 84 rotates to move stud 93 within angular notch 92 and this over travel causes the projection I3 on cam 14 to operate the trigger member 12 and exposure shutter 01. Then again, before levers 81 and 88 are moved away from abutment 98, the spindle 84 has returned in this reciprocating cycle to a position so that brake shoe I00 engages bell crank I08 to hold the supporting assembly against the action of the tend- .ency means and before the platen member I0 is raised.

Various modifications of the invention are possible, but any such modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims are deemed to be within the spirit of my invention.

Having now particularly described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent 01 the United States and what I claim is:

1. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member for supporting said copy holder, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting a volume to be copied, a platen member on said base member, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the volume thereon toward said platen member, said supporting assembly being spaced from said platen member at a distance depending on the thickness of said volume, of a brake means on said base member, directly engaging said supporting assembly in any spaced position thereof and for preventing movement of the same by said tendcncy means.

2. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member, including a frame and a glass plate, and movable to and from an operatlve position, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the same to press said subject matter thereon against the glass plate of said platen member, of a brake means on said base member for engaging said supporting assembly to prevent movement thereof by said tendency means, and an actuating means connected to said platen member and for moving the same to said operative position and for releasing said brake means only when said platen member is in said operative position.

3. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member, and a resilient means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the same toward said platen member, of a brake arm mounted on said base member for engaging said supporting assembly and movable therewith to positions corresponding to the position of said supporting assembly, and a brake shoe for normally engaging said brake arm in any of said positions to hold said supporting assembly in such position against the action of said resilientmeans.

4. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member, and a resilient means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the same toward said platen member, 01' a brake arm intermediately pivoted on said base member and having one end for engaging said supporting assembly, an arcuate brake shoe pivotally mounted on said base member and for engag ng the other end of said brake arm, and a spring member for moving said brake shoe into engagement with said brake arm.

5. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member for supporting said copy holder, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member and movable to and from an operative position, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the same toward said platen member, of a brake means on said base member for engaging said supporting assembly to prevent movement thereof by said tendency means, and an actuating means for moving said platen member to said operative position and for releasing said brake means only when said platen member is in said operative position.

6. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member for supporting said copy holder, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base mem ber and movable to and from an operative position, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the same toward said platen member, of a brake means on said base member normally engaged and for engaging said supporting assembly to prevent movement thereof by said tendency means, and an actuating means for moving said platen member to operative position and including a part movable in timed relation for releasing said brake means only when said platen member is in said operative position.

7. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member rotatably mounted on said base member and rotatable to and from an operative position, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for continuously urging the same toward said platen member, of an actuating means for moving said platen member to operative position and including an oscillating arm and a lever connected between said arm and said platen member which arm and lever are in extended straight line relation only when said platen member is in operative position.

8. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member and movable to and from an operative position, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for continuously urging the same toward said platen member, of an actuating means for moving said platen member to operative position, including a reciprocating member and including a pair of levers pivotally connected between said reciprocating member and said platen member, and an abutment on said base member and located to abut said levers when said levers are in straight line position.

9. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member and movable to and from an operative position, and a tendency means connected to said supporting assembly and for continuously urging the same toward said platen member, of an actuating means for moving said platen member to operative position, including a reciprocating member and including a pair of levers pivotally connected between said reciprocating member and said platen member, and an abutment on said base member and located to abut said levers when said levers are in straight line position, said reciprocating member being so timed with respect to said platen member that the same is in operative position when said lever arms are in straight line position and abutting against said abutment.

10. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member and movable to and from an operative position, and a tendency means con nected to said supporting assembly and for continuously urging the same toward said platen member, oi! a brake means including a brake arm for engaging said supporting assembly and including a brake shoe for engaging said brake arm to hold said supporting assembly against movement by said tendency means, and an actuating means for moving said platen member to operative position including a reciprocating member, a pair of levers pivotally connected between said reciprocating member and said platen member, and a part on said reciprocating member for moving said brake shoe to disengage the same from said brake arm, said part being arranged to accomplish such disengagement of said brake shoe and arm only when the platen member is in operative position and said levers are in straight line relation.

11. In a copy holder, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member, movable to and from an operative position and having an arm, and a means connected to said supporting assembly and for moving the same and the subject matter thereon respectively toward and against said platen member, of a reciprocating means including a spindle and a pin thereon, a pairoi hinged links, one end of one link being connected to the arm of said platen member and one end 0! the other link being journaled on said spindle and provided with a slotted sector in which the pin on said spindle is located, and a coil spring encircling said spindle, having one end anchored to said spindle and its other end attached to said other link.

12. In a photographic copying machine, the combination with a base member, a supporting assembly operatively connected to said base member and for supporting subject matter to be copied, a platen member on said base member and movable to and from an operative position, a means for moving said supporting assembly and the subject matter thereon respectively toward and against said platen member, and a camera including a film gate, an objective for projecting to said film gate an image of said subject matter which is against said platen, and a shutter for intercepting the image projected toward said film gate, of a reciprocating means connected to said platen member for moving the same to operative position and including a connection permitting overtravel of said reciprocate rneans, an abutment for engaging said reciproc ,7 ing means when said platen member is in operative position and preventing movement 0! said platen member during said overtravel of the reciprocating means, and an operating connection between said reciprocating member and the shutter of said camera and for opening said shutter only during the overtravel of said reciprocating member.

ROY S. HOPKINS. 

